Neverland
by Callie8M
Summary: Some stories begin with the famous fairytale phrase "once upon a time". But I will not begin this story with that phrase, because this is most certainly not a fairytale. It's not about princes and princesses or love. Certainly not love. Mostly, this story is about death and pain. The story of the boy who grew up after all. *Captain Swan one-shot. Review*


**Author Note: Just a little something that popped into my head. Hope you enjoy, and review!**

* * *

Some stories begin with the famous fairytale phrase "once upon a time". But I will not begin this story with that phrase, because this is most certainly not a fairytale. It's not about princes and princesses or love. Certainly not love. Mostly, this story is about death and pain.

It starts in a land far beyond anything anyone from this world has ever seen before; a place where adventure happens everyday and growing old is unheard of. This story begins in Neverland; the most magical place of them all. The history of such an extraordinary island would be fascinating to read about, but alas, this story isn't about how Neverland came to be. It's about how its leader came to be. This story is about Peter Pan; the leader of the Lost Boys, who turned out to be the most lost of them all.

Because while extremely brave and courageous, Peter suffered the secret self doubts that the Lost Boys were all having, the question that every abandoned child eventually asks themselves. Why?

Ignoring it, as he did with everything he didn't like, the charming little boy conquered Neverland and made it his home and for many years Peter was content. Not happy, but content. Eventually content isn't enough. Eventually, though much later then the others, Peter needed to know _why_ as well. And being the arrogant and prideful boy he was, Peter set off to find out.

What he found was heartbreak. And once he did, there was no going back to the sunny little island in a star that he had been the king of. Peter had no more happy thoughts, and thus he was stuck in a land called the Enchanted Forest, thrown into an orphanage until an old couple decided to take pity on the miserable boy and take him in for the extra hands on the farm. Though not cruel, the couple wasn't kind, and Peter grew angry at his imprisonment in this world, hated everything and all that he had lost. The man was a sailor, and when Peter was fifteen, the old man left him there.

Peter got on a boat and never looked back. Years passed and he changed his name and Killian Jones set out to never be abandoned again.

And then there came along a girl in a tavern, who made his heart beat faster and his palms sweat and just when thought he had love, she was ripped from him and he was alone once more. His hand had been taken as well, and sitting there on the deck of the Jolly Roger cradling his injured arm and mourning his loss, Captain Hook was born. Gone was the carefree and fun boy, and in his place grew a hard and bitter man obsessed with power and wealth.

Years, decades, centuries all passed in a blur for Hook. He had returned to Neverland, wondering why everything had turned gray. Everything looked dead, and maybe if he had thought hard enough, he'd have realized it was because of him. He had become a villain, the thing he had once hated most, and Captain Hook wondered if the island actually thought Peter Pan had died. It should, Hook thought, because it was true. He wasn't Peter anymore, and he never would be again.

Or that's what he thought. Hook had never anticipated meeting Emma Swan, someone who was possibly just as pained and lost as he was. He never anticipated falling in love with her either, and although he tried to stop it, it happened anyway.

He never thought she would eat an apple that would put her to sleep either, though that happened as well.

And Captain Hook certainly never though that she would wake up when he kissed her. That she would look up at him with those big green eyes and smile at him in that way of hers that made his heart stop in his chest and made him feel like a boy and a man all at once. He never thought he would get his happy thoughts back. That Peter Pan would fly again, with his swan and Henry, to that little island far beyond anything anyone from this world has ever seen before; a place where adventure happens everyday and growing old is unheard of. Neverland, the most magical place of them all. And just like its leader, the island got it's magic back that day.

Maybe I lied. Maybe this story was about love after all.


End file.
